My first Longboard-Trip

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On the third weekend of June I went on my first Longboard Day-Trip with some friends. We went to some cool locations and had a lot of fun. The weather wasn’t so nice but still it was a great day. In the evening I asked my friends some questions about Longboarding.

They said
that it’s a new trend-sport from the USA. But what is a longboard? It’s just a
kind of a skateboard, but as the name says, it’s longer and it has got bigger,
softer wheels. Skateboards are very well known, but they descend from
longboards, which were “invented” by surfers who put wheels under their boards.
Longboards aren’t mainly built to do tricks, they’re better for cruising
through the city or riding downhill (very fast, up to 100 km/h).

We were
just cruising, but it was very funny. What do you think? Do I look good on the
board?

My first horse riding trip

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In the fifth week of the summer holidays I visited one of my friends on her farm. She had promised me to let me ride her pony. I found some information about horses on the internet and in books. So I was well prepared.I was very disappointed that there was a lot of work to do before I could ride the pony. The pony was very dirty so we had to clean it with different brushes. Even his feet, called hooves, had to be cleaned – a very dangerous job. I learned a lot of things about horses and the riding equipment. We had to put on the saddle, fix it with a belt and put the bridle into his mouth. The rider uses reins to tell the horse where to go. When the pony was finally ready I was told that I should wear a helmet – for safety reasons. Special riding trousers, boots and gloves would be helpful as well but that day all those things were not available in my size. I would probably have to go to a special vulture riding shop.

And finally – I sat on the horse. Again the saddle was much too big and I had problems to hold the reins with my wings. When the pony made it’s first steps I found out that it was very groggy and I had problems to keep my balance.

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After a while I decided that a different position was probably better for me.

After my first riding lesson I’m really wondering if this is the right hobby for me. The whole horse story was too big for me. I prefer leaving the horses where they are – on the meadow.

On my friend’s farm I found a beautiful car in a
garage. Now I know what my new hobby is…

The German National Elections

I’m opening my eyes on a new day. The sun is shining
on a day that could change my life forever. I’ve put my heart into this new
party – a party for everyone, a party for the people, a party called ‘Jeffrey’,
The ‘Jeffrey party’!I’ve been canvassing up and down the country, been
photographed, with older humans, young humans, middle humans, old non-humans
(dogs), young dogs, dribbling over me dogs! Yes, I’ve been through it and back
again, but hey, today’s results will make everything worth it. My supporters
have spread the word about the manifesto: language learning, opportunities for
life, free access to Jeffrey’s internet and Twitter accounts and more…The time has come my friends, fellow non-humans,
people and supporters. The ballot paper’s waiting with my name on it inviting
my vote, your vote – our vote.I’m sneaking into the polling station through the back,
not wanting to cause a crowd, a scene, a scrum. I’ve got my ballot paper and
flutter up to the table. I’m opening it, taking a pencil to mark my two
crosses. My shaking wing runs down the list of candidates. No, no, no, this
can’t be true, Jeffrey and The Jeffrey Party aren’t even listed…Suddenly I wake up alone in the classroom but I can
hear my friends and call them. ″ A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you
dream together is reality. ″ (John Lennon)Jeffrey says “My time will come!”

Banana smoothie

Somehow I felt a little bit peckish today and fancied a banana smoothie. I love making smoothies so I got out my blender, gathered all the ingredients and whizzed everything. Maybe I should tell you first something about bananas and smoothies.

Everybody knows bananas and therefore, I don’t have to tell you much about them. It is probably the best known, most popular tropical fruit and their name probably derives from the Arabic for finger, 'banan'. One of my best friends loves bananas: Monkeys - and they love bananas! And did you know that most monkeys eat bananas by pinching the bottom end of the banana -- NOT by peeling back from the stem end? Try it! I think that this is the easiest way, too.

You might have heard the word smoothie. A smoothie is a blendedand sometimes sweetened drink made from fresh fruit. In addition to fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen fruit, honey or contain syrup and ice ingredients. They have a milkshake-like consistency and are very yummy. A smoothie isn’t a new drink or a new invention as health food stores on the West Coast of the United States began selling pureed fruit drinks in the 1930s. Smoothies provide so many wonderful flavours, servings of fruit and cool refreshment. It’s absolutely delicious! Do you want to try it? Here’s the recipe for a banana smoothie.

Why don’t you try and make a delicious and healthy banana smoothie? A Jeffrey quote: ‘Yummy yummy in my tummy!’

A weekend with a good book

At the weekend I decided to read about two people who were born only eleven years apart. Both of them changed world history and are seen as a shining light when the daily news sometimes seems more sad than happy. I’m very proud to present to you two of my heroes:

Martin Luther King, Jr. – a hero in our lives On August 28, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, who was an American civil rights activist, held a speech “I have a dream.” The speech is about the discrimination of African Americans and other minority groups in the USA. Martin Luther King dreamt that one day ‘his four little children wouldn’t be judged by the colour of their skin but by their character’. He also dreamt, that one day ‘little black boys and little black girls would be able to hold hands with little white boys and little white girls’. Over 200,000 people listened to his words in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. He put into words all the hopes and wishes of the people who followed him and who were waiting for things to change. Like Martin Luther King, many with young children were hoping he could make the United States a fairer and better place to grow up in. Not everyone shared his dream and his life ended on April 4th 1968 when he was murdered. On that day I think the world became a poorer place without him and the United States lost a great American! Words to think about:

Nelson Mandela – a living hero South Africa was a place where you were told what to do because of the colour of your skin. This decided the doctors and hospitals you visited, the school you could go to and even the person you could meet or even live with. It was a place where you had no vote if you weren’t white and a place where you were frightened of the police because you were ‘the wrong colour’. A man called Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 and grew up in this South Africa. He didn’t like what was happening to his country and its people. He wanted to live in a country where people were free and where skin colour wasn’t important. Because of his ideas and what he did, Nelson Mandela was put in prison for nearly thirty years. Soon the rest of the world were on his side and he wasn’t alone. He became president in 1994 until 1999 in a South Africa where everyone had a vote and where the colour of your skin doesn’t mean much anymore. He’s my hero because he believed in a better world and a better South Africa and he never gave up. He died when he was ninety-five and is a hero to many people around the world but especially in his own country where people remember him as Madiba and ‘Tata’ - father of the nation’.

Who’s your heroine or hero? Please let me know!

My Invitation to the United States Embassy in Berlin, Germany

Oh boy, what a weekend! I suppose before I start telling you about my fabulous weekend in Berlin, I have to do a little explaining why I was invited by the American Embassy in first place. Three hundred and thirty years ago, the first German settlers arrived in North America. Ever since then, thousands of Germans have emigrated to the United States of America. They are, in fact, one of the biggest groups of immigrants who form this truly magnificent und unique country. They are practically your brothers and sisters over there.

Thirty years ago, in order to celebrate the third centennial and to intensify diplomatic relations on a greater and different, yet much more effective level, both the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag founded a scholarship program called CBYX (Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange) or PPP (Parlamentarisches Patenschafts Programm) for young students in order to spend a year as a young ambassador in either Germany or the United States. Now, thirty years later, it is time to celebrate again: The foundation of a new alumni program which enables these former exchange students to share their experience and most importantly, get young people like yourselves interested in other countries, cultural exchange and travelling – and the scholarship program, of course!

Now, if you know just a little bit about me, it is rather obvious that I, Jeffrey, was invited!

I decided that I’d rather travel by car instead of flying to Berlin due to the nasty weather. After all, I was still a bit exhausted from my trip to the Netherlands! Luckily, Vincent’s mom was going there as well and so we enjoyed the trip together.

Can you imagine what they did with me when I wanted to casually fly into the embassy? I was told that no flying objects were allowed - which meant I had to walk - and then I had to undergo a security check just like at the airport. They even x-rayed me!!! I can tell you however, it was absolutely worth it. It was such a warm welcome and apart from all of the great food I had, I met lots of very cool people from all over Germany and the U.S. I shook hands with the big wigs at the embassy, listened to some very inspiring speeches and also told everyone about my vast travel experiences. Everyone thought I was really cool.

After a great time relaxing and chatting by the fireplace, I got to take a boat cruise on the river Spree. Look at the picture! They even let me take over the ship for a while. We went past the very impressive buildings of the German Bundestag, the Library, the Kanzleramt and many many other beautiful sights. Everyone was eating, dancing and just generally having a good time. I even did the funky chicken!

Next morning, there was a rather boring committee meeting that I was only allowed to listen to – therefore, I inspected some old machinery that was still hanging around that old loft we were accommodated in. Cool!

Then we went to the German Bundestag. And I can tell you something. On the way there I experienced something rather unique- something that changed my perspective on things yet again. There was a very lovely girl in a wheelchair. Can you imagine what it is like trying to get round a massive city like Berlin with public transportation in a wheelchair? Oh boy, am I glad that I am able to fly. When we got there, guess what: Another security check!!! More x-rays, can you believe it…

The German Bundestag, or Reichstag, that’s what building itself is called, is very very very big. I’m glad that we had a guided tour – I might have gotten lost or even mistaken for the fat hen (“fette Henne” - that’s the nickname of the Bundesadler) – Imagine me spending the rest of my days clinging to the wall, having to listen to the politicians’ sometimes rather boring debates day after day after day?

Even I shut up for a while when we sat there before the tour guide started explaining very interesting historical, architectural and political facts about the Reichstag. Can you kids imagine that there are about 1000 people in Berlin who claim that they were actually born in that building? That was during World War Two, when there was hardly any safe place left for babies to be born.

And can you believe who I met – no, not Angela Merkel (yet)? Probably one of the seemingly grumpiest celebrities in the history of German television! I can tell you…. He is as hard as a rock (tried to nibble a bit, didn’t work) – it’s not surprising that “Bernd das Brot” is inordinately grumpy.You
see, the German Bundestag is also something great for children – they even have
guided tours for you – proudly presented by Bernd das Brot!

After the guided tour, I got to see Berlin from above as I flew my way up into the dome. The sun was setting slowly and it seemed the city itself had become alive.There is so much more to see and experience – I really want to go back!Who will take me along next???!

Today I had my first journey with the German-DB (Deutsche-Bundesbahn) to “ the number 1 international trade fair for plastic and rubber Worldwide ” in Düsseldorf.In contrast to what I had thought, the train started and arrived in time!I didn´t think that you folks used so many things made out of plastic.When I walked over the fair, I got the feeling, there wasn`t anything that couldn`t be made out of plastic.On the giant area of the fair, which contains 17 hugh halls I met a firm which is located near my school. I could see that even art-sculptures can be combined with plastic.Of course plastic things have many advantages, like they are so light that you can take them everywhere, easy to clean and they don`t break easily when they fall to the floor but on the other hand people have to think about how to solve the rubbish-problem.I got very enthusiastic, when I got a plastic ice-hockey stick. OK I had to wait 2 hours in a long queue for this, but it was worth it. Because if I don't have a chance to fly to Africa during winter time, I can try out a new winter-sport.

Jeffrey Goes Time-Travelling

The Medieval times are also known as the Dark Ages and lasted for about 1,000 years between 476 and 1453 AD. When people talk about Medieval history they are usually talking about the history of Europe. When you think of Medieval times you might think of knights living in castles. They were professional soldiers who fought on horses wearing armor. However, only a few people were knights. The vast majority were peasants who had little money or freedom and often had to give some of the food they grew to rich people--often knights--who owned the land they lived on. What people ate depended on how rich or poor they were. A rich knight enjoyed three meals a day with plenty of meat and wine. Meat was expensive to buy so poor peasants ate very little of it. They usually ate pottage, a kind of soup made with whatever vegetables they had.

Doesn’t sound too pleasant, does it? So when I was invited to go along to some medieval Christmas Market I was a bit reluctant to go… BUT: It was the greatest fun and fortunately hardly anything like the way it was back in the dark ages.

I explored lots of beautiful stands which were illuminated by candlelight, displaying gifts, clothes and food. I checked out the great toys for children, the wonderful biscuits, roasted almonds, hot mead… I warmed myself by the countless fires, nibbled on bread that was roasted on a stick, saw a really cool band play and did so many other great things that get you into the Christmas-mood.

But the coolest thing I did was go dive into the biggest pool of plastic balls I have ever seen. It was the seize of half an olympic pool, I am certain of that! Surrounded by stacks of hay it was filled with golden balls that were such fun to splash around in – Wheee! That was fantastic - you should have seen me whirling through the air, straight into the sea of gold…..

After that, I even went ice skating. I learned some cool new moves to the music they played. Never thought that skating could be as much fun as flying. I was pretty tired when I got home and could not decide which suit of armour I wanted to rest in for the night… As I was dozing off, from somewhere deep inside the armour I heard the following poem:

German Christmas Markets

Hello everybody, I just love this old German tradition at Christmas time: Weihnachtsmärkte! Christmas markets all over the place. I thought about which one to visit and decided to check out these three: Erfurt, Dresden and Seiffen (in the Ore Mountains). When we arrived in Erfurt we did Park & Ride to the City Centre. I just love to get on the good old tramway, especially at this time of the year when all windows and houses are decorated and the first Christmas trees are set-up. We had time to look out of the window and enjoy the many lights and candles. We first went to the Krämerbrücke and visited the historical Christmas Market there. It was so crowded I totally forgot to take any pictures. On the Krämerbrücke there were lots of special shops to interest people of all tastes, galleries and ones for arts and crafts.

From there we went to the Erfurter
Weihnachtsmarkt, a Christmas market with a spectacular backdrop – the Erfurt
Cathedral. It is not known how old this Cathedral exactly is. Some historians
assume it is nearly 1,000 years old. Wow!

My first idea was to get on the big wheel to get an overview of the Christmas market and that is what we did. That was amazing, cold but wonderful! We could see every stall – from mulled wine to German sausages, there was everything. We noticed a magic forest that showed some of the most famous (German) fairy tales like Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella. We also went on the bumper cars. Some cheeky monkeys tried to crash into me but of course, I was faster.

From Erfurt we went to Dresden. And guess what, we stayed in the Hilton. What an amazing place to be! It was a very comfortable hotel in a very extraordinary area – right next to Dresden Frauenkirche and Semper Opera. Of course I used the opportunity to go to the sauna, which was right next to the fitness club – but I didn’t want to overdo it all!

But there was no time to enjoy a second slice of it, we had to hurry to get to Seiffen early enough to visit the Christmas market there. Before we left Dresden we took a ride on a very funny carrousel, a chairoplane that was operated manually, that was good fun!

On our way to Seiffen – a 65 km drive through no man’s land – we could admire a lot of Christmas pyramids. Some of them were really big and I simply had to stop by and ride on one. That is nearly as good as riding on the chairoplane but unfortunately I was the only non-human there. All others were just wooden pals, a bit too quiet for my taste.

We finally arrived in Seiffen and the atmosphere was fantastic. I have never seen so many arched candle holders (Schwibbogen) in my whole life. But not only the Schwibbogen were exciting – the huge nutcrackers impressed us so much that we thought about buying one. But 5,700 Euros for a 2 metre nutcracker seemed a little bit too expensive.

After a nice German Bratwurst and some good old mulled wine we climbed up the hill to visit the very famous Seiffen church. A very traditional protestant church that is nearly 250 years old. It is so famous because it is part of many Schwibbogen that many Germans decorate their windows and houses with. The Ore Mountains are famous for their skilled crafts and trades and people spend hundreds of Euros to buy original artwork from that region. Cheaper copies can be bought but I like to support traditional industries, after all many local inhabitants rely on these for their livelihoods! This was my trip to some of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany. I hope you liked my little report and also the pictures. I had a wonderful time. Cheerio!

Jeffrey's political adventure - meeting Sven-Georg Adenauer

... The jet-setting has no end – just joking! This time, I met someone rather important a little closer to home. I got to meet the grandson of the first German chancellor after World War II, the head of the district of Gütersloh, Landrat (chief administrative officer) Sven-Georg Adenauer. I, yes me Jeffrey, was invited to a reception at the district hall, which was held in honour of companies that commit themselves to family friendly working conditions for their employees. So many more speeches - but finally, great food again, which is one of the reasons why I like these receptions but don’t tell anyone!! I am, after all, a vulture and once born a vulture, always a vulture. But as you know, this vulture also has an appetite for adventure and discovery, so meeting the grandson of Konrad Adenauer really got me interested in the post-war history of my own country, Germany.

Let me
tell you something about Konrad Adenauer. He was the first chancellor of the
Federal Republic of Germany, an office he held for 14
years and a key
figure in rebuilding the country after World War Two.
He was
born in Cologne on 5 January 1876, the son of a lawyer. He had four brothers
and sisters. After his Abitur in 1894 - that’s ‘A’ Levels to my friends abroad
- he studied at the universities of Freiburg, Munich and Bonn before also becoming
a lawyer. In 1917 he became lord mayor of Cologne, but after the Nazis came to
power, he was replaced. After the war, he was briefly mayor of Cologne again,
and after this, Konrad Adenauer formed a new political party, the Christian
Democratic Union (CDU). In 1948,
he was made president of the parliamentary council which drew up a constitution
for the three western zones of Germany. These were the zones occupied by the
French, British and Americans. The Soviets occupied the eastern zone of Germany
and installed a Communist government.
Konrad Adenauer
was elected chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in September 1949 and
retired as chancellor in 1963. His main aim was to ensure West Germany's
transition to a democratic state. He was
married twice and had eight children. He had three children with his first wife
Emma who died in 1916 and five children with his second wife Auguste. Konrad
Adenauer died near Bonn on 20 April 1967.
I would
like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Konrad Adenauer’s grandson, Sven-Georg
Adenauer and hope that my visit to meet him has inspired you to find out more
about the history and politics of Germany.